Shopping for Eid Clothes

By Sarah Ansari

"Eid" means recurring happiness or festivity.

"Eid". To me the word conjures up visions of palms painted red with henna, the excitement of new Eid clothes donned before daybreak in the rush to Salatul Eid (Eid prayers), and the aroma of "sevvayian" simmering on the stovetop.

I remember growing up in my native Pakistan among an extended family of fourteen aunts and uncles and no less than 50 first cousins, what an eagerly anticipated event Eid was. After a long month of Ramadan fasting, we would head out to the bazaar on Chaand Raat, the night of moon sighting, to buy bangles and shoes. Our Eid clothes of course, were ready long before, hiding secretly in mother's cupboard, ready to make their debut on Eid morning. Oh the joy of seeing the sparkle of the new set of Eid clothes, showing off the latest in Eid fashion as we paraded from house to house with hugs, and cries of "Eid Mubarak", or Blessed Eid!

After our move to the United States, the festival of Eid took on a whole new meaning. From being an event celebrated with just family, it became a community-wide celebration. The Eid breakfast with the family became an Eid brunch with 100 families from the area mosque, and the new Eid clothes were proudly worn to the convention center for Salatul Eid (Eid prayers) and displayed among 10,000 fellow Muslim Americans. Our family grew and the joy of shopping for new clothes multiplied five fold, with five shiny faces and five pairs of eager eyes sparkling when they saw their new Eid clothing on Eid morning.

Call it serendipity. The idea of starting a company to market products inspired by the rich artistic heritage of Islam, came to me one Ramadan morning as I lay in bed after Suhur. I was so excited I could not sleep! We would start with modest clothing and expand into home and holiday decor and all kinds of cool Eid gifts. Eid would be a holiday that would celebrate our Islamic faith held dear, and our American way of life adopted with pride.

Three years later, Artizara.com is making a name for itself in the world of modest Islamic fashion. Contemporary American styles were modified to meet the code of Islamic modesty and accented with embroidery and beading motifs inspired by Islamic art. Designing Islamic fashions from scratch was hard. Having our line of modest women's clothing manufactured in a third world Muslim country was harder. But three years later we are proud to say that our line of modest dresses, long tops, mid-thigh length jackets and long skirts is truly unique. You can wear it and say: I am American...and I am Muslim. The shirt I wear is not just a long shirt, through it shines my 1500 year heritage...it is as unique as I am. I don't blindly follow the whims of fashion dictated by corporate America. What I wear is American but it also tells a story about my noble past.

So, when you are shopping for new Eid clothes for yourself, or thinking of truly unique Eid gifts, consider Artizara.com. Our modest long tops and matching hijabs come in many different styles from simple to elaborate, to suit many tastes. For formal occasions, we have just introduced a line of formal dresses with coordinated hijab. These floor length formal dresses have full sleeves and modest necklines, and are accented with rich hand embroidery.

These are Eid clothes that you will reach for day after day long after Eid is past. These are Eid clothes that you will dress up for parties and dress down for work or school. These are Eid clothes that your non-Muslim friends will want to have. These are Eid clothes that will really set you apart.

From Artizara.com, thank you and have a Blessed Eid.
Eid Mubarak from the bottom of our heart!

For your convenience, here are the dates for Eid-ul-Fitr through 2010.

Inspired By Our Heritage

Our founder, Sarah Ansari, has been sewing clothes since she was young. Her mom taught her to make clothes piece by piece, and to have pride in her own skin.

Deeply inspired by the rich artistry of cultures influenced by Islam, Sarah recalls looking up at the ceiling in an ancient mosque, enthralled by the interlocking patterns that go on forever. "It's a metaphor for the universe, how we’re all inter-connected. Life is complex, it’s beautiful, and we’re all in this together.”

This is at the heart of why she started Artizara: to share a story of human connection through witnessing beauty.

Read Sarah's full story..

Sarah's story

Our founder, Sarah Ansari, has been sewing clothes since she was young. Her mom taught her to make clothes piece by piece, and to have pride in her own skin.

Deeply inspired by the rich artistry of cultures influenced by Islam, Sarah recalls looking up at the ceiling in an ancient mosque, enthralled by the interlocking patterns that go on forever. "It's a metaphor for the universe, how we’re all inter-connected. Life is complex, it’s beautiful, and we’re all in this together.”

This is at the heart of why she started Artizara: to share a story of human connection through witnessing beauty.

Read Sarah's full story..

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Sarah

I’m an unremarkable woman but a believer in big dreams. There are many beautiful stories waiting to be told in the Muslim world. I founded Artizara to tell those stories through beautiful things, that people can surround themselves with and feel a connection to a rich heritage.

So, here I am, doing what I love. And every single day, I wake up excited and grateful for this opportunity.

Cherry

When there is alignment in who you are and what you do - there is an elevated state of joy and creativity. Through Artizara, I am encouraged to practice full self-expression - a true gift of support and respect. Outside of work you can find me dabbling in new exercises and activities - constantly. From boot camp classes to in-depth philosophical conversations over dinner with friends.

Niza

I’m excited to be part of something bigger than myself. To be part of a story that is all about connecting and building a community. I truly believe Artizara’s philosophy resonates with people from all walks of life and I love being part of this innovative team. Being a mother of 3 young children, I’m also passionate about education and mentorship. I wrote a book that introduces children to careers, schools, and the world of business, through a fun rhyming narrative.

Zulfiqar

I joined Artizara for two reasons – the spirit of the company, and the passion of the founder. I love that Artizara imbues lifestyle with the beauty that is the rich history of Eastern and Muslim Art. “God is Beautiful, and Loves Beauty” is more than a verse in a holy book – it represents one of the foundational concepts behind Artizara, and I am honored and proud to be a part of it. I am an artist myself, and also have a background in tech.

Maria

I joined Artizara because I enjoy the connections that marketing builds with communities, and I’m proud to work with an amazing team of individuals from diverse backgrounds. I enjoy coming to work every day seeing the proof that we are stronger in unity. When I’m not hard at work at Artizara, you can find me with my family, enjoying one of the many beaches that our sunny San Diego has to offer.

Ava

I enjoy working at Artizara because I can relate to the need for modest clothing. I feel at home when I’m at work! When I'm not working I love to explore the different parts of San Diego and its multicultural treasures with my family. I also enjoy shopping and spending time with friends.